Sony NEX-5N vs Canon EOS 5D Mark III
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony NEX-5N and Canon EOS 5D Mark III. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Sony NEX-5N is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS 5D Mark III is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.
Sony NEX-5N were released 2011 and Canon EOS 5D Mark III was released 2012. That is a 1 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.| Camera | Released |
| Sony NEX-5N | 2011 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 2012 |
Type of camera
Sony NEX-5N is a Mirrorless camera while Canon EOS 5D Mark III is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Sony NEX-5N has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Canon EOS 5D Mark III has a "Canon Full Frame"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.
| Camera | Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 ** |
| Sony NEX-5N | 75 mm Sony APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length multiplier |
** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"
Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)
Resolution
Sony NEX-5N has a 16 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 5D Mark III has 22,3 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:
| Camera | Megapixels |
| Sony NEX-5N |
16 MP
16032768 pixels 4912 x 3264 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
22,3 MP
22118400 pixels 5760 x 3840 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III has a 38 % larger resolution than Sony NEX-5N. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.
ISO range
Both of these cameras offer the exact same ISO range. They both have 100 to 25600.
| Camera | ISO Range |
| Sony NEX-5N | 100-25600 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 100-25600 |
Autofocus and lens compatibility
Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.
Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony NEX-5N
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Pictures per second
Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony NEX-5N can shoot up to 10 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 5D Mark III can shoot up to 6 pictures per seconds.
| Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
| Sony NEX-5N | 10 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 6 |
Ability to record movies
It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.
In this case, both Sony NEX-5N and Canon EOS 5D Mark III can shoot movies.
Weight
The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III weighs 950 gr (equal to 2.09 lb) which is 253% heavier than Sony NEX-5N and its 269 gr (or 0.59 lb).
| Camera | Weight |
| Sony NEX-5N | 269 gr 0.59 lb |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark III | 950 gr 2.09 lb |
Sony NEX-5N vs Canon EOS 5D Mark III Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony NEX-5N and Canon EOS 5D Mark III, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.
Product |
Sony NEX-5N |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Name | Sony NEX-5N | Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Manufacturer | Sony | Canon |
Release Date and Price |
Sony NEX-5N |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Release Year | 2011 | 2012 |
| Release Date | 2011-08-24 | 2012-03-02 |
| MSRP | 599 USD | 3499 USD |
| Buy it today |
|
|
Camera Type |
Sony NEX-5N |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Camera Type | Mirrorless | DSLR |
Sensor |
Sony NEX-5N |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Sensor Size | APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm) | Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Resolution | 4912 x 3264 pixels | 5760 x 3840 pixels |
| Megapixels | 16 MP | 22,3 MP |
| Image Processor | Bionz | DIGIC 5+ |
Image |
Sony NEX-5N |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| ISO Range | 100 - 25600 | 100 - 25600 |
| White Balance Presets | 6 | 6 |
| Custom White Balance | Yes | Yes |
| Image Stabilization | No | No |
| Image Stabilization CIPA Rating | 0 stops | 0 stops |
| Uncompressed format | RAW | RAW |
Optics & Focus |
Sony NEX-5N |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Autofocus Motor | Yes | Yes |
| Autofocus |
Contract Detect (sensor) Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous LiveView |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
| Focus Points | 25 | 61 |
| Lens Mount |
Sony E See Compatible Lenses |
Canon EF See Compatible Lenses |
| Focal Length Multiplier |
APS-C Sensor (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm |
Full frame No multiplier Example: 24 mm remains 24 mm 50 mm remains 50 mm 100 mm remains 100 mm 200 mm remains 200 mm |
Screen & Viewfinder |
Sony NEX-5N |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Articulated LCD | Tilting | Fixed |
| Screen size | 3” | 3,2” |
| Screen dots | 920000 | 1040000 |
| Touch screen | Yes | No |
| Screen type | Tilt Up 80°, Down 45° TFT LCD | Clear View II TFT LCD |
| Live view | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder Type | Electronic (optional) | Optical (pentaprism) |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.71× | |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 0 | N/A |
Photography features |
Sony NEX-5N |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Frames per second | 10 fps | 6 fps |
| Minimum Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/4000 seconds | 1/8000 seconds |
| Built-in Flash | Yes | No |
| Built-in Flash Range | 12 meters | N/A |
| External Flash | Yes | Yes |
| Self-Timer | Yes | Yes |
| Time-lapse | No | Yes |
| Metering modes |
Multi Center Weighted Spot |
Multi Center Weighted Spot Partial |
| Exposure Compensation | +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps) | +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
Videography features |
Sony NEX-5N |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Video recording | Yes | Yes |
| Video format |
AVCHD |
H.264 |
| Video resolution |
1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080 |
1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Speakers | Yes | Yes |
Storage |
Sony NEX-5N |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Memory Card |
Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC |
Compact Flash SD/SDHC |
Connectivity |
Sony NEX-5N |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| HDMI Output | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Port | No | Yes |
| Headphone Port | No | Yes |
| Wireless |
Yes Eye-Fi Connected |
Yes Optional with Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7
|
| Remote Control |
Yes (optional RMT-DSLR1)
|
Yes (Remote control with N3 type contact, Wireless Controller LC-5, Remote Controller RC-6)
|
| GPS | No |
Yes Optional with GP-E2 unit
|
Body & Dimensions |
Sony NEX-5N |
Canon EOS 5D Mark III |
| Enviromentally sealed | No | Yes |
| Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery Details |
ithium-Ion NPFW50 rechargeable battery & charger
|
Lithium-Ion LP-E6 rechargeable battery & charger
|
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 460 shots | 950 shots |
| Width | 111 mm | 152 mm |
| Height | 59 mm | 116 mm |
| Depth | 38 mm | 76 mm |
| Weight | 269 gram | 950 gram |